Aircraft engines must be periodically maintained in order to ensure reliability and meet safety standards. Because the entire circumference of the engine must be accessed, the engine is either oriented vertically, on one end, or suspended horizontally.
In the prior art, vertically oriented engines are placed onto an elevator which descends into a pit in the ground. The construction of an elevator pit is expensive. A pit also poses environmental problems, as fluids leak out of the engines and into the pit, wherein the fluids can then enter the ground.
Also, in the prior art, horizontally suspended engines utilize a monorail-type device. Monorail systems are expensive to install and maintain. In addition, workers accessing the underside portion of the engine must work overhead, which is a difficult and awkward position.
Still another prior art device is scaffolding. The scaffolding must be carefully positioned so as to both safely hold workers and refrain from damaging the engine from adverse contact. Moving and stabilizing the scaffolding is time consuming and expensive.